1 Peter 1:22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth…
Any nutritionist will tell you just because you have began eating healthy, health is not an instant byproduct. Many times, (most) depending on the level of body contamination and as healthy, living food is introduced into the body, the toxins and contaminants are forces to leave the body. Not only do they leave through normal exit procedures, they also leave through the skin and cells. This can cause prolonged issues with body odor and bad breathe. This can also cause sickness. While these issues go away in time, it is very difficult to deal with them as it happens. Showering and brushing teeth more often is required. Headaches and even trips to the doctor are required to help symptoms. In time it goes away and the body becomes healthier and stronger.
This very same thing happens in the spiritual realm as we begin to take spiritual discipline and private devotions seriously. Depending on how much “toxin” and “contamination” our souls have been exposed to in the world, as we begin a steady diet of gospel, bible, prayer, fasting, etc. the junk of the world has to go somewhere. I have noticed in my life, as I press into spiritual disciplines and private devotions, I feel like it is have an opposite effect. The filthiness of the flesh, perversion of the soul, and memories of a wicked past become very haunting and difficult to deal with. This filthiness and perversion has even manifested itself in a subconscious state in dreams as I sleep. Talk about helpless. It is VERY frustrating to feel like you are moving backwards instead of making progress.
This brings to mind Psalms 12:6 “The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times”. Much like the word of God, one time in the refiners fire is not enough. Many times, over and over, more impurities are brought to the top and skimmed off by the silversmith. It is only until the silversmith sees a perfect reflection in the silver will the process be complete. Likewise, it is only until our Father sees a perfect reflection of Jesus in us will that refining stops. Romans 8:28-29. As 1 Peter 1:22 states, it is only through obeying the truth that we have any hope of a purified soul.
I have been listening to the book of Romans on CD while driving in the Jeep. Romans 13:14 “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires”. This verse is “eating my lunch”. “make NO provision for the flesh”… Provision: (Latin) to see ahead, foresight… the fact or state of being prepared beforehand, a measure taken beforehand to deal with a need or contingency. After doing a “quick” scan of my life… how much flesh provision do I make… “Hoshemamma!!!” Jesus said, “if you have food and clothing, be content…” I am not going to be a legalist or a luddite and make list of things we should give up or stop doing. Romans 14, Paul says we need to be convinced in our own mind and walk by faith… whatever is not of faith is sin. Sufficient to say, there are things that keep us from hungering and thirsting after God. Not so much that we don’t hunger and thirst after God, it is that we FILL UP on the things of the world and there is no room for God. In John Piper’s book “A Hunger for God”, he makes a powerful statement that, “We have fallen in love with the GIFTS of God…instead of God”. WOW!!! Piper goes further to explain that according to James 4, this makes us adulterers against God… and ultimately ENEMIES OF GOD!!! How often do we love the gifts of God more than God? That is a painful question to ask and process.
The purification (sanctification) process is painful and at times very ugly. Just as we teach in membership class that the closer I draw to Jesus, the clearer I see how perverted, wicked, and sinful I am. As a response, I cling to the cross of Jesus and to the grace and mercy of the Father.
